


kristen, or katie, or something

by vinndetta



Series: Aromantic Dan [2]
Category: Game Grumps
Genre: Aromantic, Aromantic Character, Aromantic Dan Avidan, Asexuality Spectrum, Gen, also this? is friendship goals, it's implied that dan is aromantic through subtext, so uh yeah, their friendship is so wholesome i love them sm
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-20
Updated: 2018-11-20
Packaged: 2019-08-26 08:56:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,596
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16678519
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vinndetta/pseuds/vinndetta
Summary: Dan Avidan was a terrible liar. He'd say one thing and then promptly forget it, saying something else later. He'd been caught red-handed in so many lies, so why'd he try to lie his way through this situation too?





	kristen, or katie, or something

**Author's Note:**

  * In response to a prompt by [austinthegrouch](https://archiveofourown.org/users/austinthegrouch/pseuds/austinthegrouch) in the [GenAndAroPrompts](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/GenAndAroPrompts) collection. 



> **Prompt:**
> 
>  
> 
> I'd like to see a character faking an established relationship in an attempt to seem "normal", with many problems. I'd also like to see good friendships and no ex bashing. Hopefully with a happy ending/coming out, but I love angst too.
> 
> -
> 
> yo uh idk if this is what you wanted but this is the first thing that came to mind when i read your prompt. if it's wrong, hope you don't mind!

"Kristen."

Arin glanced sideways at Dan with narrowed eyes. Suddenly, Dan felt like he should take everything back. In fact, it'd be great if he could start at the beginning of the day, so he could call in sick and avoid this moment.

"You're dating Kristen." Arin looked back towards the game, and Dan wished the couch could just suck him inside so he didn't have to feel so embarrassed in front of his best friend.

"Uh.. yeah?"

Arin turned his head a little bit to look at Dan, who felt somewhat intimidated by the way his face contorted in order to show how Arin was both doubtful and concerned. 

Instead of confronting him, however, on his obvious lie, Arin turned back and dropped the subject.

Dan watched Arin die for the millionth time on the screen, and then laughed and promptly forgot about their awkward conversation.

-

"Me and Suzy. You and Ross."

Dan nodded in agreement to Arin's statement. They were going together on a trip to Disneyland, just the four of them. Arin did this thing where he always paired people off, because he didn't want anyone to be the awkward one left out of everything. So, he usually got paired with Barry, sometimes Ross if his wife wasn't tagging along. This happened to be the latter of those times.

Dan then turned toward Ross, who was unusually quiet.

"Sorry, mate. I actually can't make it this time." Ross stated quietly, rubbing his neck. "Something last minute came up."

"That's okay, dude. Totally understand." Arin hummed. "Well, now Dan doesn't have a partner."

As Ross walked away back into his office, Arin closed his eyes and started to think. Dan mixes the drink in his hand with the straw, waiting to see what Arin was going to come up with this time. Suddenly, Arin opened his eyes in triumph.

"Hey, Dan, you think maybe you and your girlfriend, what's her face, uh-" Arin cut himself off, furrowing his brows in an attempt to remember her name.

Unfortunately, Dan was not at all prepared for that. He had forgotten that he had made some name up in order to pretend that he had a girlfriend. He was tired of being set up with people and being pressured to date someone by his friends. He didn't need a date, didn't want one- 

Oh god, Arin was looking at him, expecting some sort of answer.

"Katie." Dan threw out a random name, then inwardly cringed. That probably wasn't the name that he had originally gone with.

"Right, you and Katie-"

Arin suddenly paused, looking into Dan's eyes. Dan gulped. He knew that it was a lie, then, and he prepared to get yelled at for being a lying bastard. He didn't mean to, maybe he could recover by saying that Katie was her nickname, or her middle name or something.

Kristen. That was the name he had said. They were alike, sort of, so maybe he could get away with it.

"... you wanna ask your girlfriend if she wants to join in?" Arin said, a little bit quieter than usual. Dan looked into Arin's eyes, but Arin looked away, but not before Dan caught a glimpse of hurt and betrayal.

Fuck. He didn't mean for that to happen.

"Oh. Um... yeah." Dan stuttered out.

Arin nodded, and then walked away, leaving Dan in a growing pool of anxiety in the middle of the room.

-

"So, uhm.. did you end up texting Katie, or Kristen, or whatever?"

Dan was laying on the couch during his break from recording for the next Starbomb album, when Arin's voice suddenly came out of nowhere. 

"What? Who?" Dan yawned, attempting to get up but stopping at the sight of Arin hovering over him in front of the couch. Dan blinked, staring into the eyes of his best friend.

"You know. Your girlfriend. For our trip to Disney. We talked about this yesterday, Dan." Arin furrowed his eyebrows, and Dan suddenly felt very uncomfortable.

"Oh! Right, dude, uh. She said she couldn't make it." Dan averted his eyes, relaxing on the couch in a curled up ball. He could feel Arin's presence still there, and he hoped that this awkward moment would end. Why'd he even try to hide it anyway? He was a terrible liar, and he knew this would backfire in his face. Yet, he was so tired of being questioned about his dating life and his relationship status. He didn't want anyone in that manner; he wouldn't be alone, because all he needed were his friends, really.

He felt the couch sink as Arin sat next to his curled up legs. 

"You know you can tell me anything, right, Dan?"

Dan lifted up his head to look at Arin, who seemed very serious. He felt his heart pang, remembering the lies that he had told his friend. They were best friends, right? Why did he pretend that he was in a relationship? It was the desire to be normal, he guessed, but he shouldn't have to lie to his best friend, Arin. Oh, Arin.

"Yeah," Dan whispered. "Of course."

But he didn't know how to undo what he had said.

-

"Hey, Dan, can we talk?"

Dan blinked, staring at Arin with a grim look on his face. The line wasn't moving, and there was going to be a long wait. Suzy had disappeared somewhere, and it was just the two of them. Dan couldn't escape this conversation this time. 

"Sure, Arin, what's up?"

Arin gave him a look. Dan gulped. Okay, he knew he was in for it this time. His fake, imaginary girlfriend, Katie. Er, Kristen, or... something.... She was completely fake. And he was totally going to be called out for it. He could totally tell by the way that Arin was looking at him with a touch of annoyance and irritation.

"I... uhm..." Dan decided to look at the wall next to them. It was rather interesting, with all the patterns and designs on it. He tried so hard to put up this lie and have everyone believe it, but damn it, he knew he wouldn't be able to keep a secret, especially from Arin. His best friend, Arin, who he loved so much, but...

"Dan," Arin's face turned into one of concern. "Hey, listen, I never meant to sound mad at you or anything, I just... I know something's wrong. Please don't shut me out. Please talk to me..." Arin's voice started to crack as he cut himself off.

Dan turned back towards Arin, who was starting to shake a little bit, and his eyes were blinking rapidly. Oh god.

"Arin, I..." Dan reached out to hold Arin in his arms. "Please don't cry."

"I'm! I'm not crying... bro!" Arin mumbled, although he did hug Dan back.

Once Dan let go, he looked at Arin's slouching figure and his brain clicked.

"I just want you to tell me what's up. You've been hiding something, and you've been-"

"She's not real."

Arin turned towards Dan.

"What?"

"Katie... or.. uh.. Kristen or something. Whatever. She's not real. Fake person. Made her up."

Dan gulped as he said those words. His chest thumped as he watched Arin take in this information slowly to process it fully. Arin blinked a couple of times in a row consecutively, as if he was trying to make sense of what Dan had just dropped on him.

"So, you... lied to me."

Dan backed away into himself, making himself smaller in the process. He didn't mean to, he thought. He just wanted everyone to leave him alone about finding a date, that he decided that making something up was better than disappointing them again with the answer of _no, I'm not dating anyone currently_.

"I'm... sorry. I just... needed a break from the relationship questions. I just wanted... to seem.. uhm... normal, I guess?" Dan's voice rose in pitch as he continued to talk, making the last words seem like a squeak. 

Then, without warning, Arin crashed into him again. Dan wasn't prepared for a hug at that very moment, so he stood there for a couple seconds before he wrapped his arms around his friend as well. 

The line still hadn't moved, but it wasn't like Dan and Arin were planning to move away from each other at that moment anyway. They both stood there, arms wrapped around each other without any sign of letting go from either of them. Dan felt Arin grabbing onto him tightly, body pressed against him so hard that he could feel Arin's chest rising as he breathed. Dan was sure that Arin was feeling the same thing that he was as he continued to try to hug his best friend even harder. This was all he needed. Not some stupid relationship, real or fake. All he needed were his friends. He wants to spend the rest of his life among these people - to have Ross annoy him, to have Brian prank him, to have Suzy smile and nerd out with him, to have Barry tease him. He needs his best friend, Arin, to laugh with him. _Arin, Arin, Arin_ , his mind chanted, _please stay with me forever and ever._

Finally, Arin spoke, leaving Dan with words that made his chest ache and his eyes start to fill with tears.

"You don't have to pretend to be normal. You're not weird. You're not different. You're just you, Dan."

Dan's response was to squeeze Arin harder as he thanked the heavens that his best friend was Arin Joseph Hanson.

**Author's Note:**

> my babeys................ 
> 
> hey! if you wanna @ me on tumblr, then you can check me out at @vinndetta. :))))))))))))
> 
> also if you wanna drop some uhhhh cash in the wallet of a broke college kid, then my ko-fi is "vinndetta" :) thaaaanks<3
> 
> if you liked this story, kudos and comment! much love xoxo <3<3<3


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